Kenya Airways Resumes Trading After 4.5-Year Suspension

Kenya Airways (KQ) is set to resume trading in its shares on the Nairobi Securities Exchange this week after the Capital Markets Authority has decided not to extend its suspension any further.

Kenya Airways Plc applied for the suspension of trading in its shares and closure of register, effective from 3rd July 2020. This suspension was originally intended to last for 3 months but has now lasted for about four and a half years. The share price at the time of suspension was Ksh3.84. This comes after KQ was able to turn a first half-year profit of Ksh513 million in FY 2024.

This is a significant improvement from the Ksh22.1 billion loss in the same period for FY 2023. The reasons that were given for the suspension from trading were mainly centered around the operational and corporate restructure of the airline as well as the government’s intention to buy out the airline.

This buyout, however, has not occurred and the government still retains 48.9% of its shares. SHAREHOLDER Government of Kenya PERCENTAGE OF SHARES OWNED 48.9% KQ Lenders Company 2017 Ltd KLM Group 38.1% 7.8% Kenya Airways Employee Share Ownership 2.241% Minority Shareholders 2.959% KQ lenders company 2017 Ltd is a consortium of Kenyan Banks including Equity Bank, KCB Bank, Cooperative Bank, Diamond Trust Bank, NCBA Bank, I&M Bank and Ecobank.

This news come as a relief to shareholders who have been unable to liquidate the shares at will.